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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12062005 - C142 Contra TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS +:•=��, .�=-�.; �� Costa FROM: John Sweeten, County Administrator o; -��=��n� _� _P.10 .:. oleo u fit DATE: December 6, 2005 Conty SrA'covK't'� SUBJECT: Community Services Department Monthly Update SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: ACCEPT monthly update on the operations of the Community Services Department. FISCAL IMPACT: No impact from this update. BACKGROUND: To enhance oversight of the Community Services Department the County Administrator is conducting monthly meetings with the department to receive updates on program issues and to plan and/or authorize actions that may be needed. To ensure they remain updated regarding the status of the program, the Board of Supervisors directed the County Administrator, or his designee, to provide them with a monthly status report. Attached is the regular monthly report on the operations of the Community Services Department. This report includes updates on fiscal and audit issues, personnel issues, the Policy Council, licensing issues and other programmatic issues. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: NO YES SIG. TORE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOAR O ��-/�Q/D� APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED V OTy�ER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON MINUTES OF V/// UNANIMOUS(ABSENT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ��'L�)'�� ) AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Contact: Dorothy Sansoe(5-1009) cc: Community Services Department ATTESTED County Administration JOHN SVVEETLrti,CLERK OF THE BOARD OFSUPERVISORS c BY: ,DEPUTY COMMUNITY SERVICES To: John Sweeten, County Administrator DEPARTMENT From: Joe Valentine, Executive Director toe valentine S ubj eCt: Monthly Report Executive Director Date: November 28, 2005 .100� Patricia Stroh,PhD Program Services Director I am submitting the following report to ensure ongoing communication with the County Administrator regarding all issues pertaining to the Head Start program and the Community Services Department [CSD]. A. Fiscal and Audit Report 1. The California Department of Community Services and Development has approved the 2004 CSBG close-out report submitted by the department. In a letter dated October 19, 2005 they indicated that the department fully expended the $641,,225 contract allocation and that the agency met or exceeded almost all of the programmatic goals outlined in the Department's 2004 Community Action Plan. 2. On November 15 2005 the California Department of Education conducted a three-day"limited scope review"of the child development programs administered by the department. The objective of the review was to determine whether the department correctly enrolled children, determined program eligibility, documented attendance, and monitored subcontracts in compliance with applicable laws,regulations, and contract requirements. They will issue an audit report sometime in January 2006. 3. The Department of Education is also conducting a 5-day tri-annual review (November 14-18)of our Expanded State Preschool partnership with Contra Costa.College District. The team will review family files and conduct visits at several of our sites including George Miller III, Bayo Vista, Lake, George Miller Concord, Riverview and Los Arboles. B. Personnel Report 1. CSD has hired one Assistant Family Advocacy Manager whose role will be to assist in coordinating and implementing comprehensive services. We are also in the process of interviewing and hiring an Assistant Mental Health and Disabilities Manager to work with the Comprehensive Services Team. C. Policy Council 1. A significant highlight of October's Policy Council meeting was the large turn-out of representatives from child care centers around the county. Their active participation in meetings is evidence of their dedication to and interest ' in their governance role in Contra Costa's Head Start program. 2425 Bisso Lane Drive,Suite 260 Concord,California 94520 Tel 925 646 5540 Fax 925 646 5904 www.ccccsd.org John Sweeten �`� cat Page 2 November 28,2005 D.Licensing Issues 1. The department received a letter from State Community Care Licensing regarding our appeal of an incident that occurred at the Riverview site in July which we initially felt was not reportable. In their letter, Licensing maintained their position that this was a reportable incident. However, since the licensing history of Riverview does not suggest that this was part of an overall pattern,they're regarding this as an"isolated incident" and will be taking no administrative action at this time. The department has since implemented a number of corrective action measures at this site to prevent future reoccurrences. 2. We are currently investigating an incident that was reported from our Verde Child Development center that one of our children left the classroom and was intercepted by elementary school children and brought to the principal's office. The following day,we had child proof safety latches installed on all exterior gates and are determining which personnel actions need to be taken. There were temporary teachers in the classroom at the time whom we have let go. The incident was reported to Licensing. E. Grand JM Request 1. The department received two separate but related requests for information from the Grand Jury related to the Department's contracts. The first was for a list of all contract employees going back to the 2003-2004 fiscal year, and the second was for a list of all contracts with non-profit organizations for the current and prior fiscal years. Copies of both lists were forwarded to the County Administrator's Office on November 7. F. Special Projects/Activities 1. Two of Senator Torlakson's staff toured our Verde Head Start Center on November 9-Erin Gable, a District Representative from-his Concord office, and Mufaddal Hotelwala, a Legislative Aid. They were joined by Luz Gomez from Supervisor Gioia's office. The Senator's staff are working on items for a new"Education Agenda"for him. They stayed for almost an hour and were impressed by the variety of rich educational activities they observed and participated in! 2. Joe Valentine and Pat Stroh met with Joe Ovick, Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools,to discuss areas for future collaborations including: preparing for the"Preschool for All"initiative,teacher development, school readiness, and strategies assisting students who are English language learners and their parents. They will be meeting again to develop more specific plans for collaboration. At Mr. Ovick's request,we made a presentation to the Contra Costa Council's Workforce Development and Education Task Force on November 17 regarding our work to recruit and develop bi-lingual staff. 3. Each of CSD's 18 sites are conducting Open Houses for families during the months of October and November. These events allow parents the opportunity to meet the teachers and get a sense of what their children are engaged in and learning throughout the day at school. John Sweeten Page 3 �%� November 28,2005 4. CSD has implemented its contract with Catholic Charities of the East Bay to provide specialized assistance to Spanish speaking CSD staff who are in the process of attending classes to gain their Associate Teacher or Teacher permit. Catholic Charities will assist them through tutoring, mentoring and financial assistance to ensure that they can successfully meet the requirements they need to qualify for their permits. 5. We are continuing to work with the Richmond Elementary School which is using the property adjacent to the historic Maritime Children's Center. The School has been supporting the full cost of providing enhanced Head Start services to 40 children. The department will be submitting proposals to share in their lease costs and to enter into a more traditional program partnership contract beginning in September 2006 that would allow us to provide them with some enhancement funds for each child served. Cc: Pat Stroh, Program Services Director Policy Council Family &Human Services Committee Maria Fort, ACF